Family protests outside Bulloch County Courthouse demanding justice for Hazeion Houston
STATESBORO, Ga. (WTOC) - Dozens of family members and friends of Hazeion Houston gathered outside the Bulloch County Courthouse Saturday, demanding justice seven months after the 18-year-old was shot and killed in a Statesboro apartment in January.
Statesboro Police initially believed Houston had shot himself, despite his death certificate indicating otherwise. In an exclusive interview with WTOC in early August, Interim Chief Jared Akins confirmed that new witness testimony changed the department’s view of the case — establishing that someone else fired the fatal shot. No one has been charged in connection with Houston’s death.
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Three in apartment; charges limited to false statements, evidence tampering
Three people were in the apartment with Houston the night he died, including one person in the same room. Those men have been charged with making false statements to police and tampering with evidence.
Akins said there is not enough evidence to connect anyone to Houston’s death.
Houston’s sister, Hailey Houston, said the outcome has been difficult to accept.
“Cause they still walking free right now, but my brother, my brother’s not walking free, my brother’s six feet under and y’all living y’all life, after taking an innocent life,” she said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family questions investigation into Statesboro teen’s shooting death
Father calls for legal consequences
Houston’s father, Dontavin Houston, said justice for his son means the person responsible faces legal consequences.
“He should be in jail, if my son’s gotta be in the ground he should be in jail, they both should have their designated places,” he said.
Hazeion would have been entering his senior year of high school. His father said watching his son’s classmates take senior pictures and begin the school year has been difficult.
“It messes me up, because I don’t get to see it with him,” Dontavin Houston said.
His sister described losing both a brother and a best friend.
“He was always a shoulder to lean on, I could always talk to him about how I felt, and it’s like now, I just, I don’t have nobody, I’m lost,” Hailey Houston said.
DA investigator arrested; office says no effect on case
A new development has also emerged in the case. An investigator with the District Attorney’s Office who oversaw the Houston case was arrested on July 27 over misuse of the Flock Safety license plate reader system. The DA’s Office did not comment on the case but said the investigator’s arrest has no effect on the investigation.
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Statesboro Police say the case is not closed. Akins said new evidence or a witness could change the direction of the case, and it could still go to a grand jury.
